Elevator-guard



(No' Model.)

3 Sheets-Sheet 1 O. L. DAVIS. ELEVATOR GUARD.

, Patented Aug. 8, 1893.

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(No Model.) 3 Shevets-Shee t 2.

0. L. DAVIS. ELEVATOR GUARD.

No. 502,955. Y Patented Aug. 8, 18-93.

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I O. L. DAVIS.

ELEVATOR GUARD. No. 502,955. I) Patented Aug. 8, 1893.

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f fl/ Jk J UNETED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ORION L. DAVIS, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK.

ELEVATOR-GUARD.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 502,955, dated August 8, 1893.

Application filed July 18, 1892. Serial No. 440,372. (No model.)

T0 at whom; it may concern:

Be it known that I, ORION L. DAVIS, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of Rochester, in the county of Monroe and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Elevator- Guards, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is an elevation of the closed door of an elevator well provided with my device. Fig. 2 is a cross-section of the door operating mechanism on the line 0ca". of Fig. 4. Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the door operating mechanism. Fig. 4 is a top plan View of said mechanism when the door is closed and in the position shown in Fig. 1. Fig.5 is a like view thereof when the door is wide open. Fig. 6

is a top planview of the sliding plate of my device with its idlers. Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 8 is an end elevation of the same. Fig.9 is a top plan view of the base plate of my device, and Fig. 10 is an end elevation thereof.

Like letters of reference indicate like parts in the several figures.

My invention relates to improvements in elevator guards in which the door is operated by a constantly revolving shaft extending vertically throughout the stories of the building and near the tier of openings into the elevator well and in which the operative mechanism, set in motion by said shaft, is

. actuated, with reference to the particular door to be opened, by devices acted upon by the moving elevator car.

The object of my invention is to produce an automatic means for moving the doors of the elevator well by friction devices and to reduce the danger and noise connected with the use of positively actuatedmechanism.

A is the door of the elevator well.

B B are hangers of any suitable form, fastened to the door and supporting the same and running on a track 0 properly fixed to the casing of the elevator Well.

DD are two angle bars, shown in side view in Fig. 3, attached to the doorAnear its ends and extending above it a suitable distance and bent at right angles, as at d, Fig. 3. On

the horizontal portion of each of these bars D D is fastened an L-shaped plate,E E, Figs.

4 and 5, having a longitudinal slot, e, in each of its arms, as shown. Through the angle bar and one of these slots passes a bolt, d, fastening the plate to the angle bar and whereby the plate may be moved longitudinally with reference to the door, A, and may be securely fixed at any point within the limits of the motion of the bolt, (1', in the slot, 6. Through the slot in the other arm of each plate, E E, passes a bolt or bolts, f f, Flg. 3,

whereby two blocks, F F, preferably of wood,

are fastened upon the arms and are adj ustable on the plates in a direction at right angles to the door, A. One of theseblocks is placed at each end of the door (see Fig. 1); they are of equal width and to the opposite vertical sides of the blocks are attached two straps, G" G, preferably of leather, which straps thus extend parallel to each other, from one end of the door, A, to the other end thereof, in planes parallel to the plane of the door.

"The straps may betightened by moving the plates, E E, apart and fastening the bolts, d, andare also adjustable for alignment w th the door, A, or relatively to the operating mechanism by properly moving the blocks, F F, on the plates, E E, and fastening the bolts, f f. Eachstrap has a recess g g, Figs. 4Land'5, in its inner side and near the end; the recess in one strap being at the opposite end with reference to the door, from the recess in the'other end. The purpose of these recesses is hereinafter explained.

A vertical shaft, H, constantly revolvedin one direction by any suitable motive power, is set outside of the elevator well and near the door openings and extends through all the floors-of the building on which are doors to be operated.

In. a suitable position, as on a shelf or bracket just above the elevator door'on each floor, is fixed door-operating mechanism additional to those parts attached to each door, as follows: A stationary base plate, I, is fixed horizontally on said shelf and longitudinally at right angles to the door and in such position that the shaft, I-I, passes through a perforation in the same. Upon this plate, I, isa

vertical guide tube, 'i, through which saidshaft passes (see Figs. 2, 9 and 10), revolving freely therein, but supported thereby against lateral strains. Upon the base plate, I, rests 2" 2', at the ends, as shown in the drawings,;

in which may move suitable lugs or protuberances j'j, on a sliding plate, J, in order that the latter maybe properly guided in its movements. The base plate and the sliding plate are so set that the sliding plate will move horizontally,at right angles tothe door. On

the sliding plate, J, are two vertical posts, 7c,

at a suitable distance apart, on the medialline of the length of the plate, and on each of these posts is an idler, K K, free to revolve thereon. On one side of the sliding plate is a post or lug, 70", which is placed to engage a spring catch or hook, f on the block F. Rigidly fixed on the shaft, H, is a friction pulley, L, and in such a position thereon as to have its face between the faces of the idlers, K K,, and of such diameter as to permit thestraps,

.G G, to rest between the opposite sides of the pulley, L, and the idlers, K K, respectively. The shaft and pulley revolve constantly in the direction shown in the arrows in Figs. 2 to 5. The blocks, F F, must, therefore. be a little broader than the diameter of the pulley, L, so that both straps will not be in contact with the opposite sides of the friction pulley at the same time. Suitably fastened to the well casing or to some stationary part, .is a spring, k", tending constantly to move the sliding plate, J, in the direction of the half arrow in Figs. 4 and 5. This spring may press against one of the posts, as k, or against a suitable lug on the plate, J. To the plate, J, is fastened one end of a vertical actuating lever, M, the other end of which is pivotally fastened, as at m, to the well casing (see Fig. 2). The end fasten ed to the plate is preferably formed of spring metal, asm'. On

the body of the lever is a swell, m which protrudes inside the elevator well, and is so placed as to be pressed by a roller, N, attached to a suitable part of the elevator car. This roller is movable horizontally, as by the cam,

n, and spring, a, to such an extent that when retracted by the spring, 71, it will pass the swell, m", without touching it, or, when pushed out by the cam, 71, it will meet the swell as the car moves up or down and will press the lever outward (see dotted lines, Fig. 2) so as to move the sliding plate into its extreme outward position. The function of the spring, on, is to permit some play of the lever, M, if the car should swing in the elevator shaft, without affecting the actuation of the door-operatin g mechanism. According as one idler, K, or the other, K, presses a belt, G, or G', against the face of the constantly revolving friction pulley, L, the friction between the pulley and the belt will cause the door to be moved in one direction or the other.

The recesses, g g, in the belts, permit the door to remain at rest in a position where the recess is between the idler and the pulley, and thus the strain on that belt is relieved or totally prevented. Normally the door is closed and the spring, it", forces the sliding plate and its idlers into the position shown in full lines in Figs. 2, 3 and 4, the belt, G, being out of contact with the pulley, L, and the pulley revolves in the recess, g, without causing a drag or strain upon the belt, G. In this position the door is locked shut by the spring catch, f, and cannot be opened by hand, as the catch is out of reach. The swell, m", protrudes into the elevator well. This may be called the first position of the parts.

The attendant in the elevator car, desiring .to operate a door, turns the cam, 71, and throws out the roller, N. Whether the caris ascending or descending, the roller meets the swell, m", of the lever, M, and forcesthe latter outward (see dotted lines, Fig. 2) and thus forces the sliding plate, J, outward against the force of the spring, is", so that the idler, K, presses the belt, G, against the face of the revolving pulley, L; at the same time the contact of the idler, K, with the belt, G, is broken, and the post, 70", is released from the catch, f. The dotted lines in Fig. 4, show these positions of the idlers, the belts and the pulley, which may be called the second position of the parts. The friction-of the revolving pulley against the belt, .G, will now cause the door, A, tomove in the direction indicated by the arrowmarked 1 in Fig. 4, so long as the parts are retained in this position. If the car is stopped at the floor where this set of devices is found, the door will continue to open as indicated by the arrow in Fig. 1, until the friction between the pulley and idler is relieved either by the recessed portion, g, becoming interposed between them (see Fig. 5, full lines) or by theattendant retracting the roller, N,.or by the car continuing its ascent or descent until the roller, N, passes the swell, m; in the first case, (which may be called the third positionof the parts,) the door remains stationary and open, and in the other cases, (or fourth position of the parts,) the spring, 70', forces the sliding plate back to its normal position (see dotted lines in Fig. 5 and full lines in Fig. 4), replacing the lever, M, so that the swell, m", protrudes into the elevator well, whereupon the idler, K, presses the belt, G, against the revolving pulley, L, and the door automatically begins to close and moves in the direction of the arrow marked 2, in Fig. 5,,so long as the parts retain this position. At the end of this movement, the recess, 9, comes opposite to the pulley, L, the drag on the belt, G, is relieved, the door stops automatically, the spring catch, 70', engages the post, j, and the door is locked in the first position. So long as theroller, N, is retracted, the car willpass each door without opening it. The straps, G G, may be of leather or of some slightly flexible material. They may be made of ITO metal, in which case the pulley, L, is faced with some suitable material, such as leather, to produce the necessary friction.

It is obvious that the door may be opened by asingle belt, G, to form the drag device connected with the door, and the door may then be closed by a weight, cord and pulley, such as is found in my Patent No. 420,866,01' it may be closed by inclining the track, C, so that the door runs down the same, to close. In such case the idler, K, and the belt, G, are omitted, the other parts remaining the same.

It is obvious that any suitable means may be employed for producing revolution of the revolving wheel L, although I prefer to use the constantly revolving vertical shaft H,for that purpose.

My device has many novel advantages. It is noiseless as compared with devices having sprocketwheelsandchains,ortoothed clutches for producing or changing the motion of the door; and on this account it may be 'used in office or residence buildings or in factories where those devices are objectionable. It is less dangerous than devices having positive mechanism for operating the door, as the friction of the belts is adjusted to be sufficient only to operate the door.

A door having my device can be held at any point of its path by a very small exertion of force, the constantly revolving pulley, L, meanwhile slipping on the belt. If a person or an object stands in the opening while the door closes, he or it receives only a slight shock and the door immediately stops; if a solid door is used, which, open, extends out into the room, the same advantage applies, since if the door in opening strikes some object or person, there is no danger of damage. The object which happens to obstruct the opening or closing of the door will not be injured, unless extremely fragile, nor will my device, itself, be damaged, nor the mechanism for revolving the shaft, H, be stopped, but as soon as the obstruction is removed, the doorautomatically,immediately and certainly continues its motion.

What I claim is- 1. In an elevator, a guard device comprising the combination of a revolving wheel means for producing revolution of said Wheel, a movable door, a friction device comprising a strip of suitable material and of suitable cross-section and connected to said door, and

means for making and breaking contact between the friction device and saidwheel, substantially as described.

2. In an elevator, a guard device comprising the combination of a revolving wheel means for producing revolution of said wheel, a movable door, a friction device fastened to said door whereby said revolving wheel is adapted, by frictional contact with said friction device, to move said door, and means for making and breaking contact between said friction device and said wheel, substantially as described.

3. In an elevator, a guard device comprising the combination of a revolving friction Wheel, means for producing revolution of said Wheel, a movabledoor,a friction device composed of strips of suitable material and of suitable cross section connected at both ends to said door, and means for making and breakin g contact between the same and said wheel, substantially as described.

4. In an elevator, a guard device comprising the combination of a revolving friction Wheel means for producing revolution of said wheel, a movable door, a pair of parallel straps connected to said door and placed one on each side of said wheel, and means for producing or breaking contact of one or the other of said straps with said wheel, substantially as described.

5. In an elevator, a guard device comprising the combination of a revolving friction wheel means for producing revolution of said wheel, a movable door, a pair of parallel straps connected to said door and placed one on each side of said wheel, a pair of idlers one on the outer side of each of said straps, and means for pressing one or the other of said idlers against its strap and thereby to cause the said strap to make contact with the friction wheel, substantially as described.

6. In an elevator, a'guard device comprising the combination of a revolving friction wheel means for producing revolution of said wheel, a movable door, a pair of parallelstraps connected to said door and placed one on each side of said wheel, a movable plate, a pair of idlers mounted on said plate and placed one on the outer side of each of said straps, and means for moving said plate wherebyto press one or the other of said straps against said wheel, substantially as described.

7. In an elevator, a guard device comprising the combination of a revolving friction wheel means for producing revolution of said wheel, a movable door, a pair of parallel straps connected to said door, a movable plate hav- IIO ing guide lugs, a pair of idlers mounted on i said plate and placed one on the'outer side of each of said straps, a base plate having guides fitted to said lugs, an actuating lever connected to said plate, and means for moving said lever, substantially as described.

8. In an elevator, a guard device comprising the combination of a revolving friction wheel means for producing revolution of said wheel, a movable door, a pair of parallel straps fixed to said door, means for tightening said straps, and means for aligning the same with reference to said door or relatively to said friction wheel, and means for producing or breaking contact of one or the other strap with said wheel, substantially as described.

9. In an elevator, a guard device comprising the combination of a revolving shaft, a movable door, a pair of parallel straps fastened to said door near the ends thereof and having a recess in the inner side of one of said straps near its end and a recess in the inner side of the other of said straps nearits make or break contact of eit-her strap with opposite end, a friction wheel fixed on said said wheel, substantially as descrlbed.

shaft and between said straps an idler on the T outer side of each of said str aps, means for ORIOI DAVIS' 5 contantly pressing said idlers in one direc- Witnesses:

iion, and means for pressing said idiers at M. H. MCMATH,

will in the opposite direction, whereby to H. L. OSGOOD. 

